Herbal Salves

Salves hold infused oils in a relatively fixed form for ease of carrying and application. You will be using a similar method to the stovetop method described here, this time combining the already infused oil with beeswax. If you’re looking for a vegan alternative to beeswax, many herbalists recommend candelilla wax and carnauba wax (far less local) to do the trick, but I’ve never tried this myself. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!

Maybe at this point it might be helpful to remind you all that beeswax is super messy. I like to have a dedicated grater for beeswax and a dedicated vessel for melting beeswax, otherwise you will be scrubbing for quite some time to completely remove the beeswax after melting.

I use anywhere from a 1:5 - 1:8 ratio (beeswax to infused oil) for salves, using more beeswax for harder salves and less beeswax for softer salves. You can also adjust according to season, since heat affects the consistency of the salve, using more beeswax in the summer and less in the winter.

Grate or break up the beeswax before combining, because it will take a loooong time to combine if they are left in big chunks. Beeswax melts around 140-150ºF so make sure to remove from heat immediately once the beeswax is incorporated.

Combine the infused oil and grated beeswax in your vessel. Set up a large pot with water filled up halfway and some canning rings on the bottom and set your beeswax vessel in the pot on the canning rings so your vessel doesn’t touch the bottom. Bring water to a simmer until beeswax is entirely dissolved in the oil. Remove from heat, and stir the salve as it cools to ensure the wax and oil don’t separate.

Once the mixture turns translucent, it is cool enough to put in the heat-sensitive ingredients like Vitamin E, other heat-sensitive carrier oils, or any essential oils you might want to add. Then, pour into your prepared jars or salve tins!

Lastly, good luck with cleanup :)